PHILADELPHIA – February 25, 2013 – Top 100 U.S. law firm Cozen O'Connor announced today that Deborah M. Minkoff and Eric D. Freed have been named as vice chairs of the Global Insurance Group. Debbie will serve as vice chair of administration for the group, which comprises more than 100 attorneys across all of the firm’s 21 offices. Eric will serve as vice chair of strategic planning and trial team management for the group.
The firm announced earlier this year that Joseph Ziemianski, office managing partner of the firm’s Houston office, was named the chair of the Global Insurance Group. He previously served as group co- chair. Thomas M. Jones, of the firm’s Seattle office, will continue to serve as vice chair of marketing for the group.
“We are very happy that Debbie and Eric have joined the leadership team of the Global Insurance Group, which has long been a cornerstone practice of the firm,” said Cozen O’Connor Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Heller. “This team represents the culmination of a plan to diversify the leadership of our insurance group to represent our strengths across the firm,” he said.
Deborah represents insurers in coverage litigation and counsels firm clients on complex liability coverage issues. Deborah's representative cases include coverage disputes under primary and excess liability policies, including medical professional liability and legal liability policies, and claims for coverage under general liability and professional liability policies for sexual misconduct. Debbie has obtained important holdings for the insurance industry in cases of first impression and, in 2012, was named by Business Insurance as a “Woman to Watch.” She has practiced with the Global Insurance Group since 1989. Debbie is a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, received her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law, and is an adjunct professor at Drexel School of Law.
Eric is a veteran litigator and former prosecutor, having tried scores of jury and bench trials in both federal and state courts involving matters of complex insurance coverage, commercial disputes and bankruptcy and workout proceedings. Eric’s insurance coverage practice encompasses bad faith and fraud matters and his extensive experience conducting insurance-related investigations continues to inform his approach to litigating commercial disputes. As a member of the firm’s e-Discovery Practice Committee, he manages large and complicated e-discovery productions and disputes. Eric is a 1979 graduate of George Washington University and received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law in 1983.
Cozen O’Connor has been ranked in the top five AmLaw 100 firms for women in leadership positions. In a 2012 survey by The American Lawyer, Cozen O’Connor ranked fifth overall for its percentages of women in leadership positions.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970 and ranked among the 100 largest law firms in the United States, Cozen O’Connor has 575 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 21 offices across two continents.